An estimated 300,000 visitors are in this mountain resort 250 kilometers north of Manila to watch the Baguio Flower Festival grand street dancing parade.

City tourism officer Benny Alhambra said the city is especially thankful for the special participation of Baguio’s sister cities in South Korea and Japan whose delegates wore their costumes in the parade.

As of Friday evening, all hotels and inns were already fully booked and many have to build their tents at camping sites at the Burnham Park.

The parade was lively as expected with the participation of 18 elementary and high schools here and neighboring provinces.

The Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) and other police offices in Benguet have deployed some 2,000 policemen and assisted by another 1,000 support units to ensure the peace and order here during the big event.

More visitors are expected to arrive Sunday for the grand floral parade which will feature at least 25 floats decked with hundreds of tons of fresh flowers.

The flower festival known as “Panagbenga” is now on its 16th year. It was conceived after the “killer earthquake” in 1990 to campaign for environmental protection and help rebuilt the former devastated city.